Beauty fix: Heat-friendly makeup, super-quick hair lightening and more

Every week our Beauty Fix columnist takes on your questions about makeup, skincare, hair and more. Have a beauty question we haven’t answered? Email us at beautyfix@fashionmagazine.com or ask away in the comments below.

I’m looking for a new beauty look this season. What’s the eye makeup trend to try this summer?
While summer can be a minimal makeup moment for many, it’s also a great opportunity to experiment with summer makeup trends. The sun is shining, so seize the moment and inject some colour into your look. If bright shades are a bit bold for your taste, pastels offer a dose of colour without overwhelming any particular feature of your face. Add the Bobbi Brown Surf Palette ($75, at Bobbi Brown counters) to your arsenal for a mélange of different textures and finishes to play with, such as soft aqua blue, green and shimmery pink shades, complemented by warm-toned neutral shades to ground any look from becoming too Easter-inspired.

What can I keep on hand to help cure post-patio undereye puffiness and darkness?
If you indulged in one too many cocktails or maybe had a few too many sodium-loaded snacks the night before, chances are you will see it in your face the next morning. Undereye puffiness is the result of water retention and the best way to reduce puffiness is to stimulate the area to promote circulation and reduce retention. Keep CoverGirl + Olay The De-Puffer ($14, healthsnap.ca) on hand; this colour-corrective concealer is infused with cucumber extract and will counteract dark circles and soothe eyes with its cooling metal tip applicator. Dispense the concealer onto skin and glide the metal tip back and forth for eyes that are free of signs of fatigue.

I want to lighten my hair for the summer, but I don’t want to do anything too drastic. What are my options?
Summer sunshine tends to lighten (or fade) our natural hair colour, and this can cause damage to hair and skin in one fell swoop. Salon-processed lightening can be both costly and damaging to hair, depending on how dark your hair is. If you want to do something slightly more controlled involving minimal damage or substantial financial outlay, pick up a tube of L’Oréal Casting Sunkiss by Healthy Look ($10, drugstores), apply to the areas of your hair that you’d like to lighten (you can do a full head or just a few face-framing pieces of hair – whatever your personal preference!) and hit your hair with a hair dryer. The heat activates the hydrogen peroxide in the jelly formula, gradually lightening hair, while camellia oil moisturizes hair and protects it from heat damage. Repeat the process until a desired shade is achieved. Tip: the jelly works best for lighter, non-processed hair colours, but deeper hair colours can achieve results with multiple applications.

I’m heading to the beach and want to make sure my arms and legs look their very best. What can I do to prep my body?
Keeping skin in tip-top shape boils down to protection, prevention and hydration. Protecting and shielding your skin from damage is important, especially during summer months, and this is usually accomplished with an SPF of at least 15 worn on a daily basis. This will prevent any scars or dark spots from deepening in colour. If you’re concerned about nourishing your skin, slather on an all-natural formula, like Tata Harper Fortifying Body Lotion ($84, at Murale), to moisturize skin deeply thanks to a plethora of oils (avocado, sunflower, coconut, apricot, grapeseed, argan…the list goes on!) in an aloe vera base with zero synthetics or artificial fragrances. Your limbs will love you for this addition to your routine!

With the weather being so hot and humid lately, what sort of beauty products can I wear without worrying about my makeup melting off my face?
The heat is a formative factor in any and all decision-making when it comes to summer makeup, which explains why so many people pare down their looks. If you’re going for the bare minimum yet still want to leave a lasting impression, skip a full face of makeup, spot-conceal at most, set with powder and opt for a bright lip like Too Faced Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick in “Melted Coral” ($25, sephora.ca). This wildly comfortable formula is effectively a lip stain combined with a liquid lipstick that has a slight gloss to it without any stickiness whatsoever. For extra staying power, apply to lips, blot down, reapply and blot down again for colour that won’t budge.

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